Way back in 2009, we reported on a couple of comic book adaptations in development: Lions, Tigers and Bears, about a boy whose stuffed animals come to life; and The Nye Incidents, based on a Devil’s Due comic about an alien abductee serial killer. Neither project got much farther than the early stages, however, and we eventually forgot about them altogether. (Or at least I did. Maybe you didn’t. I don’t know your life.)

Now, news comes that both projects are back on track again. Get updates on both, plus info on a potential Penny Arcade-inspired film, after the jump.

Doug Sweetland, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his 2009 Pixar-produced computer animated short film Presto (which was attached to WALL-E theatrically) is finally set to direct his first feature length film.

A student of CalArts, Sweetland decided to leave school in his final year to join Pixar to become an animator on their first feature film Toy Story. He has since severed as animator on A Bug’s Life and Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc and Finding Nemo. He was promoted to lead animator for the Bud Luckey’s Oscar-nominated short film Boundin’ , worked as an animator and storyboard artist on Brad Bird’s The Incredibles, and stepped up to supervising animator on John Lasseter’s Cars. He won two Annie Awards for his work on Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo and earned one nomination for his character animation on Toy Story 2.

It seemed pretty obvious that Disney was grooming Sweetland to direct an upcoming Pixar feature. Some even speculated that Doug was to be named to director of the announced Monsters Inc 2 (which still has no announced director). So the news that Sweetland will be graduating to a feature film comes as no surprise. It is a bit shocking however to learn that the Pixar vetren’s feature directorial debut won’t be for Pixar, but instead for Sony Pictures Animation.Read More »